What: Sights by Susanna Vance
Why I read it: Was doing a display on child abuse and this one sounded interesting.
What I thought: Was cute but a little TOO cute. I don’t usually go for “southern” themed books, to be honest. I really liked the characters, but there wasn’t nearly enough about her having or using “the sight” and it was just a bit too southern for me.

What: The Problem with Murmur Lee by Connie May Fowler
Why I read it: One of those that someone brought in that looked good. Plus it was kind of short.
What I thought: Why did I pick another southern book!? Argh. The concept was good, the main character is dead and we see her friends dealing with that, and occasionally we get her perspective. Unlike Lovely Bones, Murmur rarely observes her friends. She is more a floating consciousness. Again, the characters were good, and I like books from various narrators. But it was too stereotypically southern, and I would have been more interested in Murmur’s journey. Also, this is sort of marketed as a mystery, when really I paid little to no attention to the “mystery” of how she died. It was really easy to figure out and no one really stressed about it too much.

What: Standing Still by Kelly Simmons
Why I read it: Looked interesting. A woman is kidnapped and we see the relationship developed between her and her kidnapper.
What I thought: First off, totally wrong title for this book. For some reason, I really felt like I related to some parts of this book at this time in my life. Maybe it was too simple, too easy for some people, but psychologically I totally got it. I’d recommend this one.

What: You’re Broke Because You Want to Be: How to Stop Getting By and Start Getting Ahead by Larry Winget
Why I read it: Cuz I’m broke.
What I thought: Really, this is the best book to read. It’s a series of punches to the gut. Reminders of things that you are already aware of, you just need someone to say it. Will I follow the very simple advice within? No. Because honestly, I kind of want to be broke. I’m just not comfortable when I have money.

What: The Economic Naturalist: In Search of Explanations for Everyday Enigmas by Robert Frank
Why I read it: I like economics still. For some reason. Especially as it applies to human behavior.
What I thought: Short, interesting book about why some things are the way they are. Mostly taken from essays written by students of the author. Basically, a question is asked (Why does x cost more than x2, when it costs more to produce x2?) with economically logical explanations for each. It was a little different than I thought it would be, but I actually retained information from it; I think I may have LEARNED something. What’s that about?

What: The Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perrotta
Why I read it: Interesting summary on dust cover.
What I thought: Turns out, not that interesting. WAY more about the coach than the abstinence teacher. Promising idea (crazy culty church vs. secularist teacher) becomes pathetic semi-love story about former drug addict, current religion addict coach… actually I think the point was there’s a middle ground the two finished up on, but it totally didn’t succeed in making me give a crap. One annoying thing is that I’d be reading in the coach’s present then suddenly I’d realize I’d been reading about his past (which is supposed to be some sort of excuse/explanation for his behavior now) for 20 pages before he finishes doing what he was doing in the present.

What: A Shortcut in Time by Charles Dickinson
Why I read it: Hey, a time rift appears in these shortcuts in this town. Sounds cool.
What I thought: Most of it was cool. The brother storyline was good, although resolved too easily. Only real complaints: The dad accepted WAY too quickly that it was a hole in time. The dad accepted way too easily his daughter staying in the past. The daughter accepted way too easily the changed future without mom. The parts with the first traveler were terrific, but also were cut off too quickly. Again, a lot of promise…so close.

What: You Are What You Eat: The Plan That Will Change Your Life by Gillian McKeith
Why I read it: I needed a push to eat better.
What I thought: Great book. Although there’s nearly no way to actually live all her advice, there were many things that I do now (drink warm water when you get up, don’t eat fruit within 30 minutes of eating anything else) that have made a difference. It was a short, encouraging book from which you can easily pick and choose the things you are able to follow.

What: Thanking the Monkey: Rethinking the Way We Treat Animals by Karen Dawn
Why I read it: Cuz I’m all about the animal rights.
What I thought: Terrific terrific book. It doesn’t weight you down with pages and pages of proofs on just one subject. It gives an excellent summary, proof, and talking points for dozens of aspects of the animal rights movement. Quick answers are sometimes the best. It worked perfectly in this case.

What: Robot Dreams by Sara Varon
Why I read it: Graphic novel. Looked cute. A doggie and a robot are friends!
What I thought: Well, it really ticked me off that the doggie left the poor robot in the first place. So that tainted what was intended to be a precious, lovely commentary on friendship. Erasing that part, it was great. And the robot was very forgiving, even though he should have destroyed the dog with his laser eyes.

Uh, yeah. How long did it take me to do this? No time to do in-depth reviews, but I’ll get back to it. For now, here are some quick thoughts.

What: Free For All: Oddballs, Geeks, and Gangstas in the Public Library by Don Borchert
Why I read it: It’s about library patrons.
What I thought: Cute, but maybe not totally worth publishing without a few more weirdos and stories. We’ve had crazier.

What: The Invention of Morel by Adolfo Bioy Casares
Why I read it: Sawyer told me to.
What I thought: AWESOME. Read it. It’s short.

What: VALIS by Philip K. Dick
Why I read it: Locke told Ben to read it. Ben said he already had. Locke said, read it again, maybe you missed something.
What I thought: Honestly, I don’t even remember it now. Maybe I need to read it again, too.

What: God’s Problem: How the Bible Fails to Answer Our Most Important Question–Why We Suffer by Bart D. Ehrman
Why I read it: Cuz I’m totally into this kind of stuff.
What I thought: Excellent. Written well, quite concise. Uses examples. Point is that all the answers the Bible provides about the specific question of suffering are inadequate or even contradictory, proving that even the writers of the Bible didn’t agree on an answer. Of course, that makes the book seem dissatisfying: If there IS a god, there is no adequate answer for what the hell he’s doing. Really liked this one.

What: Pagan Christianity?: Exploring the Roots of Our Church Practices by Frank Viola, George Barna
Why I read it: Thought it was going to be about where Christians got christmas trees, etc.
What I thought: It wasn’t really about that. It was directed at Christians, trying to show them what the Bible REALLY says about church and Christianity. It was actually pretty good. The version I read had additions (the authors answer reader questions) that weren’t in the previous release, so that was helpful. Only complaint is that it was a directive to open church meetings. But, well, if you believe that’s what god really wanted, you’re gonna preach it. So it was totally excusable as part of the nature of christianity.

What: Skim by Mariko Tamaki, Jillian Tamaki
Why I read it: New graphic novel.
What I thought: A quite good illustration of confusing teenage sexuality.

What: The Head Trip: Adventures on the Wheel of Consciousness by Jeff Warren
Why I read it: Felt like it.
What I thought: Loved it. FUNNY as hell and totally informative. There’s this part where Buddha talks to him, but he has a Jamaican accent…good stuff. Who knew a study in the stages of consciousness could be so fun and actually stick with me?

What: Survivor: A Novel by Chuck Palahniuk
Why I read it: Because I’m becoming a big ol’ Palahniuk fan. What’s with that??
What I thought: Totally whacked out greatness.

What: Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
Why I read it: Wanted to read some kids classics, but honestly, most of them bore me. So I went for Newberys instead. Picked this one first cuz it’s so dang popular.
What I thought: Pretty great, actually. It’s really a commentary on racism, which I didn’t know, but still is fun and sad and pretty terrific without being too preachy.

What: Rabbit Hill by Robert Lawson
Why I read it: Newbery.
What I thought: BORING. BORING.

What: The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron, Matt Phelan
Why I read it: Newbery.
What I thought: Cute and sweet. Not terrific.

What: The Giver by Lois Lowry.
Why I read it: Newbery. One of the most well-known.
What I thought: AMAZING. Loved everything about it. Read it. Crazy surreal world/future/village/utopian setting. Read it.

I’m a Juliet fan, so I love any episode featuring her! But ominously, it was a flashback, which makes me worry for her off-island prospects. I was pretty sure she wasn’t making it off anyway, but I’m holding out hope…

Summary: Locke and Ben play politics while Juliet follows Daniel and Charlotte to the Tempest station to sabotage what she thinks are their plans to gas the Island. In flashbacks, we learn about Juliet and Ben’s relationship.

• The therapist is named Harper Stanhope. Is Stanhope Goodwin’s last name, or just hers? All this time I thought “Goodwin” was his last name, but obviously it’s his first name.

• Juliet complains of feeling like a celebrity (which was a mislead to make us think this might be a flash forward, but sadly, it was not to be). This reminds me of how Locke felt when he arrived among the Others.
• Juliet builds a shelter on the Island and Sun asks “Why bother if we’re leaving?” Juliet knows she’s not leaving. *grumpy green guy* That make Hulk sad
• Argh! More whispers! I can’t wait to find out what they say. But I don’t like listening to their creepiness alone, so I’ll wait till later.
• Harper! Was she really sent by Ben? Is she alive? Juliet didn’t seem surprised to see her, implying she knows it is possible for her to appear. Does Juliet know how people convey messages around here? Thru some form of teleportation or astral projection? It has to be physical since Jack saw her too (and Sayid saw Walt with Shannon). If it is some sort of projection or teleport-type thing, that could explain some of the whispers. The whispers could be other people around the person projecting. I always remember the movie The Others in these situations. They were occupying the same space but in different dimensions/times.

• Oh yeah, Harper! So if Ben sent her, we didn’t see it or know about it. He seemed pretty distracted with Locke through this whole episode. It could have been a previous plan with Harper, but it seemed very well timed. Of course, that may have been the plan. Wait until the right time. Anyhoo, travel by smoke monster and whispers seems fun.
• So they are going to the Tempest. Obvious Shakespeare reference here. Although there already were lots of untones from The Tempest in the show. 1. The Island. 2. A guy manipulating a group of survivors. 3. Redemption/repenting stories. 4. Caliban = Cerberus = Smoke monster?
• Goodwin lies about his burn. The power station isn’t just a power station. Juliet’s first real hint about Ben’s deceit and first opportunity to bargain.

• Daniel’s map sure had a lot of “unknown?” comments written on it. Where did they get this map? Obviously someone who didn’t quite remember or know, but who knew enough…hmm…
• Kate is so stupid. How many times can you walk into a situation where you don’t belong and turn your back!?
• Awesome Juliet line: “It’s very stressful being an Other.”
• She also says “You don’t wanna see my file.” But we don’t get any bad impression about her. What could she possibly think Jack would disapprove of or judge her for? He’s been quite accepting of Kate, even knowing what she has done. But it makes me think that Ben wouldn’t just pick a girl like Juliet because she looks like mommy. He would make sure he had plenty on her, plenty to manipulate her with. So she very well may have something worse in her file.
• She reexplains the baby theory to Ben: Immune system attacks baby in women who’ve conceived on the island. Ben is dismissive though. He’s clearly interested in a little sumpin-sumpin instead. This makes me think something very very bad…
• What if Ben has created this women die issue to keep Juliet? I still think it’s possible he unconsciously and psychically created the women/baby issue because of his mother issues. But it’s possible Juliet has succeeded, but he keeps killing the women anyway, or he keeps changing her data, just to keep her. Then I think, he told Alex he took Karl so she wouldn’t get pregnant, so he must really believe that pregnant women will die. Then I think, no, he could still have told her that because he knows if Alex got pregnant he wouldn’t let her die, thus foiling his own plan to sabotage Juliet and keep her for his own. Muhahahaha!
• Claire asks Locke to let her talk to Miles because she might get out of him who the freighters ARE, not just who they are not. I say she wants to talk to Charlie. She’s all into psychics, she will totally ask to speak to Charlie. It’s a good plan, actually. Come on, Locke!

• Ben hilarity: “It didn’t have a number on it, did it?” HA
• Ben keeps manipulating Locke so easily. “Amenable for coercion.” Indeed. Remember, Alex said Ben will make you THINK it was your idea. But it wasn’t. Ben has probably been planning Locke’s rise to power for a while. Harper says he’s exactly where he wants to be. Ben says he has no more bargaining chips. HA! Of course, maybe his plan failed. Juliet didn’t shoot Daniel. She let him render the gas inert. Seems bad for Ben since he may be counting on using that gas again.
• Ben’s plan: WTF is it? To wipe the Island clean?
• Juliet and Goodwin: “Why? Cuz Ben has a crush on you?” Uh…it’s a bit more than that, buddy. Bam, Ben sends Goodwin to the tailies and to his death, which at the end it seems he knew was coming. More evidence of his having flashes? Probably not. Probably the fact that he is a genius analyst and knew Ana-Lucia would nail Goodwin eventually. Sick. Bastard.
• Ben tells Locke “If my people wanted me they’d have stormed this place long ago.” HA. Manipulation. They’ve got their instructions. Ben really is where he wants to be. Stupid Locke.
• More Ben hilarity: “I taped over the game.” HAHAHAHA
• Ben knows about Charles Widmore! Charles Widmore does know about the Island! He is so behind the plant of 815 at the bottom of the ocean. This has been coming since the first summer without Lost, in the ARG. So! Excited!!! Ben says he doesn’t know how Widmore knows, but he SOOO does. The journal.
• Locke: “Tell me who your man on the boat is.” Ben: “All right. But you might want to sit down first.” At first I went: It is SO Michael. Now, I’m certain it isn’t. It’s WALT. Walt can get messages to Ben from off the island through his abilities. Walt can appear to Locke when Ben wants and get him to stop the freighters from coming to the Island. Ben shot Locke, but had plans for him when he got tied up and couldn’t talk Jack out of it. So he called up Walt.
  Ben’s dinner with Juliet. Creepy. Mention of Zack and Emma (sad). Tried to manipulate her about Goodwin, but she wasn’t buying it. “His assignment will be over soon. I promise.” He was just waiting for the inevitable.

• “Who are we to question who’s on the List?” Ben seemed dismissive of this as well. Does that mean the Lists aren’t so the big deal she’s been led to believe they are? Or is his obsession with Juliet taking over his caring about everything?
• OK, the lists. We know Jacob makes the lists of who to take. But Ben asks Ethan and Goodwin to provide lists in 3 days. So now I’m thinking all that meant was a list of who survived so they could narrow down who they bothered started files on.
• We get a Jack/Kate moment and a Jack/Juliet moment. It occurs to me that Juliet is to Jack as Sawyer is to Kate. Juliet is Jack’s obvious match. They are both doctors, both trapped by Ben, both self-sacrificial and required to use their skills to save friends, sisters; both required to be leaders when they didn’t want to be; both have similar leadership qualities. They make sense. Same with Kate and Sawyer. They are both lawless and self-centered, both believe they are not worthy of anyone better than each other. They make sense. Just an interesting parallel.
• Then we see it’s kind of Juliet’s fault that Jack got in the mess with Ben that he did. At first she just thought he could help Ben, then she said he was cute, which probably pissed Ben off pretty good. And I think she probably saw a savior for herself in Jack, probably offering to be the one to manipulate him into doing Ben’s surgery. She knew she had to get out from under Ben’s thumb and that Jack might do it given the right motivation. I really hate her and love her for this.
  And now, of course, she has kissed Jack in front of Ben, which ought to really rile him up. Is she still manipulating Jack thinking he can save her from Ben, or did she really give away her true emotions when she kissed him in front of Ben, believing then that Ben really was trapped and Jack really had won?

• The Tempest: OK, Daniel was trying to render the gas inert, but the manual override wasn’t working. So to counter someone trying to hack the system, the computer contaminates the area. Right? OK, so there really was no danger to the Island, and in fact, Juliet not shooting them saved the Island, possibly permanently if the gas is inert now. (Also, side thought about Dan: He cried when he saw 815 found at the bottom of the ocean because he knew these people and the situation in the future? Since we now know he has a constant, that implies he flashes.) But how did Daniel get the right code to work at the right time? How did he know what it was?
• Juliet and Ben at Goodwin’s body. Scariest. Scene. Ever. “How can you not know that you’re MINE!” Then, sweetly “Take as much time as you need.” Think of all the times we’ve seen Ben show emotion and how all those times we couldn’t believe any of it. But this ONCE, he was really who he is. *shudder*
• Juliet to Jack “Ben’s gonna win.” “He knows here to find me.” Once again, a selfish manipulation on her part, or truth about how she feels? I really think it’s truth that works in her favor.
• Best Ben scene out of all of the awesome Ben scenes: “See you guys at dinner!” I was cracking up at him cheerfully strutting along with his new bedsheets!

I got NOTHING done this month. I was late on everything, couldn’t get motivated to read, totally played online and oncamera all the time. Is it a coincidence that I started flickr and facebook recently? I don’t think so.

So anyhoo, here’s my pathetic list of books:

What I read: Blaze by Richard Bachman (Stephen King)
Why I read it: Cuz I read all of Stephen King’s stuff and this one was short.
What I thought: This was a release of a book he had stuffed in some past dimension, originally written in the 70s. I liked it. It was an obvious homage to Of Mice and Men. It was devoid of the paranormal, which was an interesting turn for him. I didn’t LOVE it. But I really liked it.

What I read: Kitty and the Midnight Hour, Kitty Goes to Washington, Kitty Takes a Holiday, and Kitty and the Silver Bullet by Carrie Vaughn
Why I read it: This patron at the library said, “Dude, read these!” I said “Uh…I don’t care about werewolves and vampires.” She said, “It totally won’t matter! They are so good!” I said, “Oh…kay….” Then the next day I had four paperbacks in a freezer bag.
What I thought: Although I don’t care about werewolves and vampires, the author was a good writer, so I enjoyed the books in that sense. But the best part is that the lingo and attitude seeped into my head. Now I totally think in terms of “pack” and “alpha” and all that crap. Yes, I read books out of obligation. Four of them. And later, I think I’ll be happy I did as a librarian because I allowed myself to be exposed to something different.

What I read: Fables Vol. 1: Legends in Exile.
Why I read it: Friend wanted me to, so let me borrow it.
What I thought: Cool art, fun story. It’s always interesting to put a new perspective on old characters. The lands of Snow White, Bigby Wolf, Prince Charming, and all the other fables have been taken over, and they were all exiled into our world. Wolf is a detective, Snow is lt. mayor of the fables… they solve a murder. It was cute.

It amazes me that this show can be so awesome so often.

In this ep, Desmond is badly affected by…uh…something about traveling to and from the Island (:)). He starts jumping back and forth between his army days in 1996 and 2004. I actually barely know how to summarize this episode. Maybe the live thoughts are best this time…of course, that mostly consisted of me going “Holy crap!” “What?!” “No way!”

• Frank does his best to follow the coordinates, but the storm causes issues. Desmond jumps back and forth with his 1996 self!

• Daniel explains why they shouldn’t be worried about the helicopter: “Your perception of how long they’ve been gone is not necessarily how long they’ve been gone.”
• “There might be side effects.”
• Desmond jumps a couple more times before they lock him in sick bay with Minkowski, who is also jumping through time!
• Frank helps Sayid (gun for phone)
• Daniel asks if Desmond has been exposed to electromagnetism. Uh, yeah, you think?
• Doctor Ray gives Minky a shot to knock him out before testing Des’s eyes, which flips him back to 1996. He notices Penny keeps showing up, so he tries to call her, but she says no to helping him.
• “Get on a train to Oxford, the physics department. Find me.” Awesome.
• “You set your device to 2.342, oscillating at 11 Hz. I know about Eloise.” I love this stuff.
• Daniel says you can’t change the future. Hm.
• Daniel unsticks Eloise the rat from time (Slaughterhouse Five anyone??). She runs a maze an hour before she’s taught how to run it. *my brain explodes*
• Desmond tells Daniel about the Island. Daniel does much physicsing.
• Minkowski tells Desmond Penny’s been signaling him. They had strict instructions to NEVER answer it. (!!!!!)
• Mouse died. Theory: can’t deal without an anchor to reality…or something I’ll have to study later… A Constant. Desmond believes his constant is Penny.
• A “friend” leaves the sick bay door open (Ben’s spy? Frank?) so Minky, Sayid, Des go to the destroyed comm center to call Penny.
• Back in 1996: Charles Widmore! The Black Rock! A never-read Journal! Hanso! Holy crap!
• Widmore actually has enough faith Penny won’t go back to Des that he gives him her address.
• She’s at 423 Cheyne Walk! (A clue we got in Find815) Somebody’s mistress lived at that address…who was it? Maybe I’ll find it later. Anyhoo…lots of famous people have lived on that place.
• Minky: “I…can’t…get…back!” DIES!
• Des finds Penny. “Eight years from now I need to call you.” She gives him a number and promises to keep it. Back in 12-24-04 he calls her on the freighter phone and she answers!
  I’m on a boat, been on an island, i’ve looked for you for 3 years, researching an island, i love you….so much love! *happy squeeing* Des found his constant before he went crazy and died. *swoony sigh*

• Dan finds his notebook: “If anything goes wrong, Desmond Hume will be my constant.”
• !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My brain is so broken I can’t think of anything to say. My jaw is hanging on the floor. Good times.

TVSquad is one of my favorite websites for TV-related gossip, episode rundowns, etc. I’ve even been known to leave a couple of comments from time to time. But while googling myself today (yeah, I do it) I discovered they acknowledged one of my comments in an actual article.

OOooooh! I feel like Paris Hilton!

On island, the helicopter is missing, sneaky Kate gets Miles and Ben together, Miles proposes a deal to Ben, Locke becomes borderline dictator to protect the island, and Sawyer and Kate have their last goodbye. In off-island flashforwards, Kate (one of the most recognizable faces in the world) is on trial for all the bad stuff she did pre-island, but makes a deal in the end, leaving her free to take care of her son: Aaron.

Although I didn’t post these thoughts sooner, because of a crushing feeling of inferiority about my thoughts, a big pep talk from Chris pushed me back in…

• “Eggtown” WTF is that about? The first scene was Locke breaking eggs (sometimes you gotta break a few eggs?), then we find out that’s all the eggs left, then he kills a chicken (which came first, the chicken or the egg? hint at a timeloop?). An ironic name considering the state of women’s fertility on the island? The best theory is on Lostpedia. Egg-town has to do with bartering days. Simply put, eggs are a crappy trade. A town that isn’t good for business might be called an “egg-town.” This works perfectly with the theme of this episode: making deals that don’t seem to be all that beneficial to everyone involved.

• The story Jack tells on the stand: 8 survived initially, Kate helped everyone, she couldn’t save the other 2 (when are they considering that they died? why say 2 more survived if they died in the end anyway? who are these two people that they felt necessary to include? this is a very important weirdness to the story…).
• We still don’t know for sure who the Oceanic 6 are. My guess was Jack, Kate, Hurley, Sayid, Sun and Jin…but is Aaron considered one? Technically he was a passenger, but wouldn’t have been considered one formally. Also, he wasn’t born yet, so he would be an extra body after the initial survival. And now we know Ben is off-island, with all his resources, he could plant himself as an Oceanic 6er. One part of me says he wouldn’t because that would expose his face to the world, but what if that is his goal?
• Kate has AARON! OK, I admit I theorized this already. I didn’t know for sure, but I keep seeing this terrible image in my head of Kate on the copter, Claire running with Aaron, but people are shooting, can’t make it…she hands Aaron to Kate, Claire is shot… Another thought is that Claire and Aaron get on the copter, but she doesn’t make it to the freighter or doesn’t last long while on there.
• How are the 6 lying about Aaron being Kate’s? She was not known to be pregnant at the time of being on the plane, and he would be much too old…How are they getting away with this? The public must know about him because the lawyer wanted to put him in the courtroom, and her mother knew of him.
• Also, Claire was warned that she must raise Aaron. He needs her good influence. Is this a bad omen for Aaron? What will happen now that she is not the one who raises him? And even more so, now that KATE is the one who raises him?
• What is Jack’s reluctance to see Aaron? Does he know of his relation to him in the future? Was he partial cause of why Claire is not there to raise Aaron and he can’t face it?
• Jin/Sun’s discussion about where they want to live was an odd addition to the show, therefore, it must be foreshadowing, right? I think they DO get off the island, and this was our hint. Are they considered part of the Oceanic 6? I like how Sun has grown past her need to leave and believes she and Jin can make it at home now.
• Kate is very insistent on NO jail time. Is this just showing that she’s pulled an Eko? (Not sorry for how she’s lived, feels she did what she had to) Or is it cooler than that…she really CAN’T go to jail for some reason. Of course it could just be because she was entrusted with the raising of Aaron. I think that’s valid enough reason without a bigger theory.
• Miles…what’s up with that guy?? He really plans to doublecross the guys he’s working for? He wants 3.2 mil why? He really thinks he has the power to convince people Ben’s dead? And he’s totally willing, despite what he knows, to let Ben live? And he says “I know what you can do” oooooohhh….good line. What can Ben do? Of course, I think he can do everything: see the future, see dead people, create realities in which women cannot carry to full term, travel between slightly warped timelines…
• Daniel and Charlotte: My mother proposed that Charlotte’s got a couple of jobs, one of them being taking care of Daniel. That appears to have some weight to it. What was with the card game? Are they testing to see if his mind is healing on the island? Are they testing to see if he sees in the future which cards she will play? I think since we know he’s a headcase, they are likely seeing if he will get better while he’s here.
• Locke: holy crap! Everything he said was insane and terrifying and awesome! I have a lot to say about him, but it’ll have to wait…
• Books: VALIS by Philip K. Dick and The Invention of Morel by Adolfo Bioy Casares, both of which I now must read, but we have neither at the library. Argh.

I know there’s a lot more, but I got work to do…

Summary: On the island, Locke, Hurley, Sawyer, and the others set a trap for Sayid, Kate, and Miles, who have gone to find Charlotte. Locke allows Sayid to leave with Charlotte in exchange for keeping Kate and Miles. Sayid plans to find out what these people are doing here and who Ben’s spy is. In flashbacks, Sayid is recruited by Ben in Germany to kill people on a “list.”

Live thoughts this time!

• N, I’ll always be with you, R.G. Who the hell? What the hell?

• Why did the first guy Sayid killed even show up? How did “they” make sure he would be there? Obviously he was scared when he found out Sayid was O6. So he obviously has some responsibility for that flight/island/something?
• Just curious, what was the cool restaurant where he meets Elsa? Brian says, “how did they plan that she would agree to meet him?” and I said, “dude, it’s His Hotness, SAYID!!”
• It’s “espresso.”
• “Gizmo” HA
• Sawyer wants to torture Ben, Ben is soooo miserable looking, and it’s hilarious!
• Jacob’s cabin is GONE. Locke is confused, but Ben doesn’t really seem to be.
• Hurley is questioning keeping Charlotte…Locke turns into Jack: “I’m making the decision”
• Jack/Kate “Does that mean I should wait 20 minutes and go anyway?” HA!!
• I admit it, I love Jack. I’m in love with the bossy psycho. He constantly gives up what he wants to make others happy.
• Frank: What was he a diplomat? Jack: No, he was a torturer.
• Clearly the bracelets are attached to who Naomi works for, and we see Elsa is wearing one…
• Frank to Dan: “If Minkowski gets on, hang up right away”
• These people claim they don’t know each other.
• Daniel’s experiment is the coolest thing EVER. What the hell happened? More confirmation of the time issue…
• Miles is surprised by the swingsets…
• Miles: “Not yet”
• I can’t believe it’s been 100 days… or has it?
• Payload shows up: Time says 3:16. Other clock says 2:45…31 minutes…”This is not good”
• I also am in love with Juliet. She happily brings back Desmond.
• Sayid finds a secret room in Ben’s place…passports, money, clothing… he’s left this island a LOT. A passport that says “Dean Moriarty” ooooooh
• Kate yelled for Sayid when she sees Sawyer…
• It breaks my heart that Hurley betrayed them!!
• “That breakdancing thing you do with your legs” HA
• Ben gets all the lines! “I lost a dollar, you know” hahaha “I’m thirsty” hahahaha
• I hate Skate, but this was an adorable moment: “Why don’t we find out.”
• Something was weird about the music there though…
• Locke: “Miles is somewhere else.”
• Sayid: “I agree they are liars.”
• Sayid: “The day i start trusting him is the day I sold my soul”…foreshadowing.
• Poor Sayid. His heart IS bigger than his gun.
• “His name is on a list.”

• Sayid sure can take a bullet…rowr.
• The “economist” didn’t know who was after him, apparently…
• Desmond: “You’ve never seen or heard of Penelope Widmore?” They don’t answer, man.
• Sayid brings Charlotte…but no Miles. And Kate breaks Jack’s heart again.
• “You cheated.” HA!
• Funny that the first trip off the island, people are actually NOT wanting to go. Charlotte and Daniel have work to do.
• “Follow the same exact bearing we came in on. NO matter what.”
• Seriously, the WOODPECKER has to shut up!!!
• Jack: “Send me a postcard.”
• The flight out is so incredible…unbelievable…
• What’s with the dog pound? This better be a cover and not experimentation…looks like a vet.
• What is Ben doing off the island?
• How did he convince Sayid to work for him (a girl, it is implied)?
• Wanna protect your friends or not?
• What is the connection between the people Ben is having killed?

Although I think some of the music was weird, I, of course, loved this ep as well.

I know I just love this show and love is blind, but holy Tunisian polar bears, this is the greatest show!

Summary: Jack and Kate help Daniel find the rest of his crew, finding out tidbits of information along the way, picking up gun-wielding Juliet and Sayid, speaking to Naomi’s spirit (!), and finding out the copter still works…
Meanwhile, Locke’s group treks across the island heading to Jacob’s cabin. They pick up Charlotte Lewis (CS LEWIS??) on the way and send Vincent back to Jack with her beacon. Ben gets a couple of beatings from Sawyer before admitting that the freighters are there for HIM!
In flashbacks, we get quick vignettes of who these freighter people are, and find out that Naomi was hired by Abbadon to get them on and off the island safely…but why are they there?

The questions and thoughts section will probably not be as filled out as it should be since I will DEFINITELY have to watch this one like 4 more times…

The new guys:
Daniel Faraday (Faraday cage?), physicist from Massachusetts, cried inexplicably when seeing the televised footage of 815 underwater.
Miles Straume, ghost whisperer from California. That’s right, he talks to dead people. He’s listening to radio reports that the bodies on 815 will not be recovered.
Charlotte Staples Lewis (Yep, that’s so a CS Lewis ref), an anthropologist who recovers a polar bear skeleton and Hydra collar from the sand in Tunisia! She reads the reports about 815 as often as she can. She says she’ll have to read it in every language before she believes it.
Frank Lapidus, the pilot who was supposed to fly 815. On television, shots of the pilot’s body are shown, and Frank knows the body is not his friend’s. He calls Oceanic to tell them…
Naomi and Matthew Abaddon: Abaddon hires Naomi to pull off a covert op on the island with these insanely inexperienced people…

Questions/Thoughts:

• What the hell is the connection with these people? Why and how were they dragged into this? And how do they all know about Ben? What is his importance to them? Clearly, Charlotte had knowledge of Dharma or…SOMETHING, since she was not utterly confused by the discovery of the polar bear in Tunisia.

• The picture of Ben…where was that taken? What is he doing? Has he been off the island more than we think he has? Or is it a “different” Ben?
• A frakkin’ ghost whisperer?? I would have NEVER thought that these were the people on that freighter. It feels good to know the writers are smarter than me.
• What exactly was the thing Miles had at Mrs. Gardeners house? Just a white noise machine so she couldn’t hear him? Probably. I’ll find out later…for now, that was just the coolest, weirdest thing… So, also, Miles is kind of scummy if he talks to ghosts just to steal their stashed stuff…
• Charlotte was wonderful. She was so honestly excited by everything. Not surprised, but just totally thrilled! And then she was so “oh shit” when Ben calls her out on all of it.
• Frank’s best line: “I got struck by lightning. I saw a cow.” HAHA Also, his voice is too similar to Locke’s.
• Locke admits to everyone that he got his orders from Walt. As Sawyer says, “Taller ghost Walt” HAHA
• When Locke says they are going to Jacob’s cabin, Hurley says it was back there. Locke has a delighted look that Hurley has seen it and Ben has a horrified look! Awesome! Hurley is special!
• Locke shows off his wound and in the best, most clever little bit of the night: “Went in one side and out the other. I’d probably be dead if I had a kidney there.” HA!
• Miles insists no one say his last name and when Sayid offers to call someone else Miles says “Oh, it CAN hurt” to call someone else…
• Ben shoots Charlotte! But she’s wearing a vest! How frakkin’ incompetent IS Locke??
• Why couldn’t Minkowski come to the phone when Miles called?
• Why did it matter that Juliet wasn’t on the plane? That she was a “native”? They really freaked out about that! Poor Juliet! I don’t want Jack to leave without her!
• Seeing Sayid in the cockpit of the helicopter made me realize mom really might be right: He’s swiping that plane…
• Locke: “What is the smoke monster?” Ben: “I don’t know.”
• Ben has a man on the boat! What? Who? How? Minkowski?

A million more things…no time! Gotta work!

Hey, they might actually make a movie! YAY!